Hansel and Lethel

[drinkandforget]

The twists and turns of the forest are long, secretive, and closed. But in this one small clearing, there is a house made entirely of sweets. Gingerbread forms the walls, adorned with enormous pieces of candy. The pillars and lampposts outside are peppermint, while the bushes grow marshmallows and slices of pie and cake. Even the paving stones of the pathway are rock candy. A river of pure dark chocolate flows lazily alongside the house, hot enough to be molten.

It's clearly a haven for children. In fact, a girl with pink hair and wearing a soft dress sits comfortably amid the wafer candy grass and nibbles at a handful. She looks up and smiles at the newcomer. Something about the smile is a bit too cold for her greeting, but with so much candy nearby, there's plenty to distract from the expression.

"Come over and try some," she invites. "You can eat enough to have a full stomach." This is a rare and precious thing, in a poor kingdom like this one. "Don't worry, I live here with my sister."

(ooc: story can be looked up here. Lethe is working for the witch to lure travelers in return for herself and Mnemosyne not being eaten.)

Comments

[mooneternal]

Well... okay! ( it doesn't take much to convince her to give in, and by now she's halfway through the floral vase on the table... ) We'll save some for her!

[drinkandforget]

[It might be something in the food, or something in the air; whatever it is, the more Usagi eats, the more difficult it will become to keep her focus.

Lethe doesn't help the matter by her questions that only seem to show how wide the holes are opening.]

You must have come a long way to arrive here. Where were you heading?

[mooneternal]

( she continues to stuff herself on the goodies available -- mmm'ing and licking her lips with every other bite ) Yeah! A really long way! I was going to... ( she pauses... where was she going; now that she thought about it? ) To... ah... Huh... I can't exactly remember now...

[drinkandforget]

[Excellent; perfect, even. Lethe's smile grows.]

Were you meeting with companions? [This time, the question is for a reason. If more are coming - especially potential help for this girl - she needs to know it.]

[mooneternal]

Companions? ( she looks up to search the other girl's face ) I'm not -- sure... Was I?

[drinkandforget]

They wouldn't leave you alone, would they? There must not have been any companions for you.

[mooneternal]

They aren't...? ( she seems to be staring off into space. it's as though there's a blank spot in her memory. as though what she was reaching for was somehow missing... ) I don't... know...

[drinkandforget]

"That's why it's better to forget about them," Lethe invites, "And enjoy yourself and the food here."

[mooneternal]

Forget about... ( it's even too much to repeat the sentence. it seems to already be gone from her mind... a blank look overtakes her normally sunny exterior ) Right... I could... stay here.

[drinkandforget]

[Exactly. Fall into this, just a little more, forest victim - and never leave here again.]

There's nothing left anyway. You came here to lose all of it.

[mooneternal]

I did? ( she looks to the other girl for a moment... then away towards the surroundings again... ) I -- must have. Why else... would I have come here...?

[drinkandforget]

[See? It's not so bad at all. It's even peaceful, without having to worry about why no one's heard from Mamoru, or the identity of the strange new senshi, or the maybe-sort-of-crush on a hot new idol singer. There don't have to be worries at all. There can just be delicious food.]

You're a good girl, I see.

[mooneternal]

Am I? ( then what's that strange quiet nagging feeling? maybe some sweets will drown that out... ) I'd... like some more, please.

[drinkandforget]

[Lethe's smile grows, but never gains a bit of warmth. She rises as if to bring more food to Usagi (her house will already never be the same), but in reality she heads for a small switch to trigger the trap.]

[mooneternal]

( of course, usagi doesn't suspect a thing. she's lost in the fog-like state her mind has become. candy is the only thing that she can seem to remember at this point... why... was that...? )

[drinkandforget]

[With a feeling of triumph, Lethe reaches the cage mechanism, and activates it. The device comes crashing down to enclose Usagi and trap her within.

Fool.]